Biography
Hailed as "a compelling comic actress" (The Well-Tempered Ear) with "sultry, rich-voiced allure" (Culture Buzz), Courtney Kayser is a lyric mezzo-soprano, coming from America's heartland of Iowa. Known for her "scene-stealing" (Twin Cities Art Reader) versatility and liveliness in the spotlight, Ms. Kayser has performed in various genres of music, from rock to R&B, to musical theatre and opera. Her first performance on the big stage was at Carnegie Hall in 2010, where she was accepted to perform with the Distinguished Concerts International New York company in the "Chorus of Angels" for the premiered concert version of Eric Whitacre's electronica-opera Paradise Lost: Shadows & Wings.
Prior to being classically trained in music, Ms. Kayser had previously been studying theatre before making the final switch to studying opera. With no preference for one or the other, Courtney is still an active performer in the musical theatre community to this very day while she continues to perform classical music. Her studies in the performing arts have given her a new perspective on how to create depth in each performance, as well as how to make every character both genuine and believable. She has often been praised for her ability to make each character her own, her commitment to her craft, and has been cited by audiences to be "born for her roles". From her funny, yet commanding presence as Morticia Addams in Addams Family Musical, to her wickedly terrifying performance as Fruma-Sarah in Fiddler On the Roof, Courtney always leaves the audience talking and wanting more.
Courtney has gone on to win several awards in the process of studying classical music. During her years as an undergraduate at Iowa State University (BM), she was given honorable mention in the Concert of Soloist Competition, and a year later was selected as the 2014 winner of
the Des Moines Metro Opera Guild Ames Chapter Award, an achievement given to students who possess the potential to have a career in opera. Shortly thereafter, she was chosen by a group of judges as one of the winners in the 2015 Concert of Soloist Competition, for which she was the only vocalist to go on to the finals and was the first female soloist to be selected in over 6 years. As a result to this achievement, she was given the opportunity to perform as a soloist with the Iowa State University Symphony Orchestra. Courtney would continue to receive numerous accolades from critics and from Opera Props during her time as a Master's student at UW-Madison, as well as being awarded multiple scholarships from various donors. Even after her studies, Courtney would continue to bewitch audiences, and be nominated for her roles, as well as audience favorite, in various productions in central Iowa. It wasn't long before she was regularly invited to lend her voice to sing for various churches and events such as graduate commencements, showcase concerts, premiered works, and promotional events.
While she continues to adore audiences from around the midwest, she has been progressively filling her repertoire with roles such as Amalia Balash in She Loves Me, Phoebe D'Ysquith in A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder, Magenta in Rocky Horror Show, Prince Orlofsky in Die Fledermaus, an Evil Stepsister in a ballad opera of Cinderella, Meg Page in Verdi's Falstaff, and Lilli Vanessi/Kate in Kiss Me, Kate. Courtney currently resides in Des Moines, Iowa, and is a member of the Chancel Choir at Plymouth Church.